A CURATED LIST OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVES,  PROGRAM DEVELOPMENTS AND ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES IN  NORTHERN VIRGINIA, STATEWIDE AND NATIONALLY FOR 
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SUPPORTERS

Thank you to our Sponsors and attendees who joined us for our Educate & Celebrate event on May 30. We are grateful to our Leckey Forum presenters from George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, HousingForward Virginia and the City of Charlottesville who shared the release of the Northern Virginia Zoning Atlas and the importance of Zoning in creating equitable communities. And Congratulations to our Regional Housing Leaders Award Winners: Seth Opoku-Yeboah, Loudoun Workforce Housing Now Campaign, Amazon Housing Equity Fund and Susan Dewey!

Alexandria City Council approved a $291,300 loan to Wesley Housing for repairs at the Parc Square Apartments complex in Arlandria. This will fund the renovation of eight units in the five-building, 66-unit complex. The garden-style buildings were built in the 19040s, and are scattered among 525 and 527 Four Mile Road, 604 Notabene Drive and 3906 – 3812 Old Dominion Boulevard.

Melwood’s effort to redevelop its site near Crystal City advanced this month when the County Board unanimously accepted the Special GLUP Study. Melwood envisions a 5-6 story building with over 100 affordable rental units. 1/3 of the units will be for adults with developmental disabilities who can access Melwood’s on-site job training as well as wrap-around services from Our Stomping Ground. Thank you to the many who successfully advocated!

Arlington County Housing Division's 2024 Tenant Summit is this Sat., June 8 from 10am - 2pm at Lubber Run Community Center. The summit will provide educational workshops for tenants and advocates on technical (VA Residential Landlord and Tenant Act & Fair Housing) and non-technical topics, to empower tenants to manage housing issues and thrive in the community. Register here - and sign up for Spanish translation, children’s activities and lunch.

A new Missing Middle Housing supporters' group has formed, known as ArlingtonWINS (Arlingtonians for Welcoming and Inclusive Neighborhoods). Check out the developing website and sign up for the July lawsuit updates on their listserv HERE.  ** The previous AHS Missing Middle Network is slowly being migrated to this new group. Please sign up with ArlWINS to continue to be informed on all things Missing Middle / Expanded Housing Options.

Share your vision for an inclusive, affordable, sustainable Arlington in the Year 2050 by completing the Comment Form for the County’s Vision 2050 Initiative. Send this link to a friend!

Thank you to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors who voted to transfer (re-transfer) the Franconia Government Center land to the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority for further study and evaluation to use the site for affordable housing development and other community benefits. Congratulations to all the advocates who worked hard, amidst strong, vocal opposition to support the transfer.

Fairfax County is proposing amendments to its For-Sale Workforce Dwelling Unit (WDU) Policy, shifting the affordability range from 80%-120% of the Area Median Income (AMI) to 70%-100% AMI. The changes, based on recommendations from the WDU For-Sale Policy Task Force, also include expanding guidance on the proportionality of bedroom counts and extending the policy's applicability to properties outside designated development centers zoned for 8 dwelling units per acre or more. These amendments aim to better align rental and for-sale WDU policies, accommodate larger households, and streamline Area Plans by referencing the countywide policy. Public hearings are scheduled for June 12 at 7:30 PM, with the Planning Commission, and July 16 at 4:00 PM, with the Board of Supervisors (BOS).

There will be a BOS Public Hearing on June 11 at 4:00 pm on the Proposed Plan Amendment 2022-III-FC1, for Cornerstones’ Permanent Supportive Housing project near the interchange of Route 50 and West Ox Road (Sully District). 

Fairfax County’s Plan Forward is a comprehensive initiative to update the 1990 Policy Plan, guiding land use and development decisions. Residents are invited to engage in the process through community meetings, focus groups, surveys and ongoing feedback opportunities by signing up for emails here. 

Fairfax County is considering a meals tax to broaden its revenue sources and reduce the tax burden on homeowners. The Board of Supervisors recently voted to explore this option and County Executive Brian Hill will analyze local meals taxes, the costs and timeline for implementation, and community engagement strategies, with recommendations expected by September 17.

Thanks to the Loudoun Chamber for hosting their Policy Makers series on the State of Housing. Speakers included HUD Regional Administrator Matthew Heckles, VHA Executive Director Brian Koziol, Loudoun DHCD Director John Hall, and a panel of practitioners including McGuireWoods Consulting, Wellington Development, and Cornerstones. 

Loudoun residents who are late in paying rent or facing eviction may be eligible for assistance through Loudoun County. All applicants will be required to submit a short, online pre-screening form found at loudouncares.org/help. Any applicant who does not have access to the internet may call Loudoun Cares at 703-669-4636 for assistance in submitting an application. The program will end by December 31, 2026, or sooner if funds are exhausted. For more information about other rent assistance programs offered by Loudoun County, visit loudoun.gov/rentassistance. 

Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted to allocate $2 million for a pilot “economic mobility” program for low-income county residents. Proposed by Supervisor Koran Saines, the program would distribute monthly payments to residents at or below 30% of the area median income ($32,550 for a one-person household or $46,450 for a family of four). Recipients would be able to use the funds for groceries, rent, paying down debt, or other needs.

The Board of County Supervisors will be holding a work session on the Affordable Dwelling Unit Ordinance at the June 11 Board meeting starting at 2pm. An updated draft of the Ordinance was recently posted. The Board is scheduled to vote to approve the Ordinance at their July 16 meeting.

Prince William County is launching a Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) initiative for adults with serious mental illness and co-occurring disorders, providing housing assistance, mental health case management, and support services. The Board of County Supervisors accepted funding from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to support 72 housing units, contract housing specialists, and hire mental health staff.

A new interactive map from Marymount University shows Northern Virginia’s history with Racially Restrictive Covenants, which barred non-Caucasians from certain areas, predominantly from 1920 to 1950. Despite being unenforceable since the 1968 Fair Housing Act, many covenants remain on record. 

David Tarter has been appointed the new Executive Director for the Center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship (CREE) and Master’s in Real Estate Development Program at George Mason University's Costello College of Business. David also serves on the NVAHA Leadership Council.

The Urban Institute is hosting a free hybrid event, Policies to Expand Equity-Oriented Affordable Housing: Opportunities and Cautions from Recent Research, on June 18 from 1:00-4:00pm.  At this Urban Institute hybrid event, in collaboration with Policies for Action, policymakers, advocates, and other stakeholders will explore housing policies that have meaningful impacts on racial and health equity. Registration is required.

MWCOG issued the results and analysis of the Annual Point-in-Time Count of Persons Experiencing Homelessness. Point-in-Time numbers increased in most NoVA  jurisdictions with the exception of Fairfax County.

JBG Smith Properties launched a new platform, LEO Impact Capital, to manage its workforce housing investment operations. Led by AJ Jackson, LEO will oversee the Washington Housing Initiative's $115 million impact pool, which has created over 3,000 affordable units in Greater Washington since 2020. 

The Virginia Housing Commission met to receive a briefing on Accessory Dwelling Units last month. The workgroup agreed to recommend that localities address the issue in their comprehensive housing plans - but not endorsing the concept of "by-right."  

Virginia Poverty Law Center is hosting a series of Tenant Town Hall housing discussions across Virginia this summer. They are seeking individual experiences with the housing crisis, identification of community needs, and ideas for change. VPLC lawyers will also provide information about tenants’ legal rights and how to protect them. Register if you are interested in attending the virtual session on July 1 at 6:00 pm.

HUD's HOME Investment Partnerships Program provides grants to states and local governments to produce and maintain affordable housing and offer rental assistance to low-income households. HUD seeks feedback to a recently proposed rule that aims to update, simplify, and align HOME regulations with other federal housing programs, and implement recent statutory amendments. Comments can be submitted at www.regulations.gov by July 29.

HUD is seeking comments on a proposed rule to Reduce Barriers to HUD-Assisted Housing. HUD has proposed a rule that would require landlords of HUD-assisted housing to individually assess potential tenants with conviction histories, taking into account mitigating factors like the recency and nature of the conviction. Access the portal to submit a public comment here before the deadline on June 6, 2024. Tomorrow!

In an effort to stabilize rents in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) properties, HUD announced a 10% limit to rent increases in rental properties with LIHTC financing. Under the LIHTC program, rents can increase annually by 5% or two times the percentage change in national median income, whichever is higher. HUD’s new cap limits such rent increases to no more than 10%, regardless of the median income change.

• The Northern Virginia Zoning Atlas, HousingForward Virginia

• Land Use Regulations and Housing Affordability in Northern Virginia: A National Zoning Atlas Analysis, Mercatus Center

• The Wealth Gap between Homeowners and Renters Has Reached a Historic High, Urban Institute

• Why Are Fewer Young People Buying Homes When They Leave Their Parents’ Place?, Urban Institute

• Housing Finance: At A Glance Monthly Chartbook, April 2024, Urban Institute

• Top 50 Affordable Housing Developers of 2023, Affordable Housing Finance